Genshin Impact: The Sharpshooter of Teyvat

In the most luxurious suite of the antique-style Wangshu Inn atop Feiyun Slope, a delicate fragrance of tea lingered in the air, mingling with the deep, calming scent of aged wood furniture.

The room was exquisitely arranged, every corner emanating refined taste.

Outside the window, night unfolded like a stretch of midnight silk, studded with countless stars like scattered pearls on velvet.

Moonlight poured through scattered clouds, casting a silvery sheen across the rippling sea.

In the distance, fishing boats shimmered under lantern light, gently bobbing with the waves, as if dancing with the stars and the moon.

Who would've thought—only yesterday, an ancient sea god had risen from that very ocean.

Lumine and Paimon, having just finished a sumptuous dinner, now sat idly around an eight-immortal table, savoring the rich aroma of tea.

Shao Yun lounged in a recliner by the window, gazing out at the moonlit view, a faint smile of contentment on his face.

The trio chatted casually—until Lumine broke the harmony with an unexpected remark.

She brought up the wish she had shared with Ningguang: to post a search notice for her long-lost brother throughout Liyue.

Shao Yun blinked, baffled. "Wait—you want Ningguang to have the Millelith post missing person flyers for you?"

Lumine set down her teacup and nodded lightly, her tone firm. "Yes. Mr. Zhongli told me quite a bit about my brother, but those were stories from hundreds of years ago. Until I find him, the search can't stop."

Determination blazed in her eyes. No matter what obstacles lay ahead, she would not abandon her search.

Shao Yun sighed. "You should've asked me. I'd have done it for free. But, if that's your choice, I'll support it."

Though he felt it was a bit of a waste, he understood her resolve.

Lumine took another sip of tea. "Besides, I plan to really explore Liyue. Zhongli said my brother left traces here. If I follow them, I might find new clues."

Her expression glowed with hope and eagerness for the journey ahead.

Shao Yun couldn't help but tease, "Maybe you'll find a stone with 'Aether was here' carved into it."

Lumine actually paused to consider, then replied seriously, "You know, that's not impossible."

My brother needs a lesson in manners, Shao Yun thought. Tagging ruins like that...

Reclining leisurely, Shao Yun turned his head toward her.

"So, Lumine—do you want my help?"

She looked up, about to accept, but then remembered the odd problem she and Paimon had: the teleport waypoints stopped working whenever Shao Yun was nearby.

She offered a gentle smile. "It's okay, Shao Yun. You've done a lot already. You should take some time to rest."

Shao Yun thumped his chest, still full of energy.

"Just robbed five hundred billion. I feel great! Besides, you need to work on your horseback riding. Bond with your mount."

Lumine thought, How could a horse beat a teleport waypoint? But instead of arguing, she changed the subject.

"Say, Shao Yun—have you ever thought about what you want to do?"

That gave him pause. He thought it over and slowly replied.

"Zhongli once told me I should make more friends. So, I figured… maybe I'll go bond with the Treasure Hoarders. They're pretty fun folks."

Lumine nearly dropped her teacup. Tea sloshed dangerously close to the edge. She stared at him wide-eyed.

"Bond with the Treasure Hoarders?! That's just robbing them!"

"Was fifty billion not enough for you?" Her voice quivered.

Shao Yun exhaled softly and shook his head.

"It's not that. I just don't know how to spend money. I really don't. Robbing's all I know. You two got any ideas on how I can burn through some Mora?"

Paimon, perched across the table, rolled her eyes skyward and suggested:

"How about this: every day, breakfast at Liuli Pavilion, lunch at Xinyue Kiosk, and dinner at Wanmin Restaurant? Repeat endlessly. Sound good?"

Lumine shook her head, smiling wryly.

"We'd have to eat ourselves to death, and even then, we wouldn't burn through that much."

Shao Yun watched them fret, and suddenly his eyes lit up.

"What if we use Mora as stones and go skim them across the ocean?"

Paimon leapt up in protest, cheeks puffed out.

"No way! Even if we're rich, that's insane! Total waste!"

The three tossed ideas back and forth, but none seemed quite right.

Outside, moonlight filtered into the room, cool and serene.

Shao Yun finally sighed, eyes still on the night sky.

"Forget it. We'll think of something later. The Mora's not going anywhere. Let's just get some rest."

…

Night deepened, and silence settled over the land. Only the occasional chirp of insects echoed in the still air.

Lumine and Paimon lay peacefully in bed, their breaths soft and steady.

Shao Yun sat by the window, reclined, eyes gazing up at the vast, star-dappled sky.

The stars blinked faintly, resolute in their quiet glow.

Then, a sudden string of text appeared before him.

[Current phase: Free Exploration. You may now freely explore the continent of Teyvat.]

Another line followed:

[Legend of the East – Challenge II will begin soon. Do not leave Liyue.]

Shao Yun frowned. He remembered the last challenge—facing off against an Abyss army led by his brother-in-law Aether.

But why hadn't the system warned him when he fought Osial?

He asked the system, "Why didn't this pop up when I fought Osial?"

No reply. The words simply lingered on the screen, as though waiting for him to accept.

Shao Yun sighed, knowing the system wouldn't answer.

All for that fancy outfit, he muttered to the screen, "Fine. I'll stay in Liyue."

…

For the next month, Shao Yun's life was unusually peaceful.

Every day, Lumine took Paimon out to explore the wilds of Liyue, leaving him to lounge around the harbor.

Though he once considered venturing out himself, Lumine had forbidden it. And he knew: when he was nearby, teleport waypoints mysteriously stopped working.

He had no choice but to stay put and wait for his "wife" to finish hoeing every inch of Liyue's wilderness.

With nothing urgent pressing, he figured he might as well try the housebound life for once.

Still, a part of him grumbled—what good are teleport anchors anyway? Riding a horse's way better. Scenic, relaxing. And you get to bond with the steed.

…

A month after the Northland Bank job, dawn cast golden light over the streets.

Shao Yun appeared once again at Iron Tongue Tian's teahouse, as he had every morning this past month.

He'd been killing time listening to Tian's tales while Lumine scoured Liyue's lands.

Today was particularly quiet. Aside from Shao Yun, not a single soul was in the audience.

As Iron Tongue Tian spun his latest yarn, Shao Yun rested his head on the table and dozed off.

On stage, Tian scanned the empty room, sighing in disappointment—until a figure approached.

It was a man of rare poise, who took the seat beside Shao Yun.

Tian's eyes lit up. His passion for storytelling reignited.

…

Shao Yun stirred to the sound of Tian's booming voice. He rubbed his eyes groggily—then froze.

Zhongli sat right beside him, sipping tea calmly.

"Zhongli? What're you doing here?"

Zhongli smiled faintly and lifted his cup. "Had nothing else to do. Just taking a stroll." His gaze swept the room, finally settling on Iron Tongue Tian.

Shao Yun straightened up and eyed Zhongli. He noticed something different about him today—more relaxed than usual.

"You're not working at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor today? Playing hooky?"

Zhongli set down his cup and nodded. "After the Rite of Parting, business has been slow. The Director asked me to go out and promote our services."

There was a helpless note in his voice.

Shao Yun stared at him, then muttered an old saying.

"Try selling coffins door-to-door and you'll get beaten half to death. People would cheer watching it."

Harsh words, but not untrue. Selling funerals… that's asking for trouble.

Shao Yun sighed with sympathy and patted Zhongli's shoulder.

"That's rough, man. Dangerous job."

Zhongli's deep eyes glinted with quiet resignation. He shook his head.

"It's fine. Not all elders fear death. If I look hard enough, I'll find someone."

Shao Yun slapped his own cheeks to wake up and grinned. "Alright, enough of that morbid stuff. You hungry? I'll buy you some cor lapis. I'm rich, remember?"

"You jest. I am Zhongli, not the Geo Archon."

Zhongli refilled his cup with practiced grace, the rich aroma soothing the air between them.

He sipped gently, his voice soft and even.

"One pot of tea… is more than enough."

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